Rollerway conveyer



May 17, 1949. N. wARsHAw 2,470,275

ROLLERWAY CONVEYER Filed Feb. 20, 1946 @l v E56/Z Inigrzof' Nal/2me] Wareham Patented May 17, 1949 ROLLERWAY CONVEYER Nathaniel Warshaw, Brookline, Mass., assignor to Market Forge Co., Everett, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 20, 1946, Serial No. 649,1'08

7 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyors, and more particularly to a conveyor of a roller type for use in loading and unloading merchandise from trucks or freight cars or for moving merchandise within a factory.

One object of the invention is to provide a conveyor of a roller type which is of greater strength and of lighter weight than similar type conveyors so that without danger of distortion it may convey relatively heavy merchandise yet may be easily and quickly moved from place to place. Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor of the type referred to, which may be quickly adapted to expeditiously and eiciently move small and bulky merchandise alike as the necessity arises. Further objects of the invention are to provide a conveyor of the roller type which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to set up or dismantle, of convenient size to store when not in use, and readily adaptable to various size shipping platforms and constantly changing factory floor arrangements.

In one embodiment of the invention the conveyor comprises two parallel frame members, a grill platform mounted therebetween and a plurality of spaced parallel rows of rollers pivotally mounted on and supported by the grill platform. In a preferred embodiment the grill platform may comprise a plurality of relatively rigid strips having outwardly offset portions juxtaposed to each other, the strips forming the outer edges of the platform having offset portions `juxtaposed to the frames, roller supporting means interposed between each of the offset portions and constituting, in effect, a connection between the strips and between the strips and frames, and a roller pivotally mounted on each of said supporting means. In further accordance with the invention, the conveyor may comprise a plurality of sections, each comprising the embodiment described above and means for detachably uniting the sections together. In another preferred embodiment the platform may be so mounted between the frame members that in one position the upper periphery of the rollers may project above the plane defined by the top edges of the frame members, while in the inverted position the upper periphery of the rollers may be positioned below the plane defined by the top edges of vthe frame members. In the rst position the conveyor may accommodate merchandise lof a width greater than the width of the conveyor, while in the inverted position the frame members con-- stitute guide rails for merchandise of a width smaller than that of the conveyor.

For the purposes of illustration, reference is made to the following detailed description .and drawings rof a preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section along line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 in use in inverted position.

Referring to Fig. 1, two sections of the conveyor are' shown detachably secured and are marked A and B. Referring to conveyor section A, a plurality of rigid strips I, y2, 3 and 4, each having outward-ly offset portions 5, are disposed with their offset portions juxtaposed to form a grill platform 6, the offset portions of strips I land 4 forming the outer 'edges thereof and being juxtaposed to spaced parallel frame members 1 and 8. The strips are rigidly connected at each of their juxtaposed portions by a rivet Ill, while the strips I and 4 are similarly secured to the respective frame members above their longitudinal center lines, each of said rivets providing an' axle, between the connected offset portions, for pivotally mounting and supporting a roller II so as to provide a plurality of spaced parallel rows of rollers. Ihe rollers II are of such diameter that, when mounted as above described, their top peripheries are in a plane spaced above the adjacent longitudinal edges $3EL of said frame members, while their opposite peripheries are in a plane spaced above the other longitudinal edges 9b of said frame members as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The ends I2 of the strips of section A are connected to the frame members and supported by a bar I3 extending through the ends and frame and permanently secured in such position. Inwardly spaced, but adjacent said ends I2, a bar M, parallel to bar I3, extends through the frames and strips and constitutes an axle for pivotally mounting and supporting the end rollers I5 of section A. The juxtaposed ends I of the strips of section B are similarly connected and supported by bars il and i8.

Referring to Figs. l and 3, means for detachably uniting section A to section B comprise a pair of top clamp plates i9 having upwardly bent channels 29 to t over bars l and I3, and having a projecting end 2i provided with a loop 22, said plates being disposed between strips l and 2 and 3 and i and overlying bars lli and i3, the projecting ends 2l extending over bar lll of section B to permit the loops 2 to loop about said bar. A pair of lower clamp plates 23, each having a downwardly bent channel 2li and odset portion 25, to fit under bars l and i3, and having a projecting end provided with a resilient lip 26, underlie bars it and it and plates lil, the projecting ends resiliently presenting their lips E@ against the lower exposed periphery of the bar l'l to retain it within the loops 22. The upper and lower clamp plates i9 and 23 are rigidly clamped together by suitable means, as nuts 2l and bolts 28, between bars l@ and i3, as shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be evident that to detach section A from section B, the end of section A is raised, causing the bar Vi of section B to push the lips 26 of the lower clamping plates inwardly to -free the bar and, as the end of section A is further raised, to permit the bar to slide out of loops 22.

It is to be understood that section B is of exactly the same construction as section A, and is Q provided at its opposite end (not shown) with the securing means of section A, while section A is provided at its opposite end (not shown) with identical bars il and i8 of section B.

From the foregoing it is apparent that in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the conveyor provides a working plane of rollers above the top edges of the frame members to accommodate merchandise of a width greater than the conveyor, while in the inverted position shown in Fig. 4 a working plane of rollers is provided below the top edges of the frame members to accommodate merchandise of a smaller width than that of the conveyor, the frame members constituting guide rails in the latter case.

It is further evident from the foregoing that by providing the grill platform to support the roller arrangement described above, the entire conveyor has been strengthened against danger of distortion and at the same time has afforded the opportunity to use relatively light frame members thereby to lighten the overall weight of the conveyor.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A conveyor comprising two parallel frame members, a grill platform mounted therebetween and a plurality of spaced parallel rows of rollers pivotally mounted on and supported by the grill platform said grill platform comprising rigid members rigidly united by rivets, each rivet constituting a pivotal support for one of the rollers.

2. A conveyor comprising two parallel frame members, a plurality of relatively rigid strips between said frame members and having outwardly offset portions juxtaposed to each other to form a grill platform, the strips forming the outer edges of the platform having offset portions juxtaposed to the frame members, roller supporting means interposed between each of the olfset portions and constituting, in eifect, a rigid connection between the strips and between the strips and frames, and a roller pivotally mounted on said supporting means.

3. A conveyor comprising a plurality of conveyor sections each comprising two parallel frame members, a plurality of relatively rigid strips between said frame members and having outwardly offset portions juxtaposed to each other to form a grill platform, the strips forming the outer edges of the platform having odset portions juxtaposed to the frame members, roller supporting means interposed between each of the offset portions and constituting, in effect, a rigid connection between the strips and between the strips and frames, and a roller pivotally mounted on said supporting means, and means for detachably uniting one section to the other.

4. A conveyor comprising two parallel frame members, a plurality of relatively rigid strips between said frame members and having outwardly offset portions juxtaposed to each other to form a grill platform, the strips forming the outer edges of the platiorm having onset portions juxtaposed to the frame members, means at each of the juxtaposed offset sections for rigidly connecting the strips to each other and the outer edges of the platform to the frame members, and a roller interposed between each of said juxtaposed offset portions and pivotally mounted and supported on each of said means so that its top periphery projects above the platform constituting, in eifect, a working plane of spaced parallel rows of rollers.

5. A conveyor comprising two parallel frame members, a plurality of relatively rigid strips between said frame members and having outwardly offset portions juxtaposed to each other to form a grill platform, the strips forming the outer edges of the platform having offset portions juxtaposed to the frame members, the platform being connected to the frame members above their longitudinal center lines, and a roller interposed between and pivotally supported by each of the offset portions, the rollers being of such diameter that their top peripheries are in a plane spaced above the adjacent longitudinal edges of said frame members and their opposite peripheries are in a plane spaced above the other longitudinal edges of said frame members, thereby to provide in one position, a working plane of rollers above the top edges of the frame members and, in the inverted position of the conveyor, a working plane of rollers below the top edges of the frame members, the frame members constituting guide rails in the latter position.

6. A conveyor comprising two parallel frame members, a grill platform mounted therebetween above the longitudinal center line of the frame members and comprising rigid strips united to provide an open lattice structure and a plurality of spaced parallel rows of rollers mounted on and supported by the grill platform, the rollers being of such diameter that their top peripheries are in a plane spaced above the adjacent longitudinal edges of said frame members and their opposite peripheries are in a plane spaced above the other longitudinal edges of said frame members thereby to provide in one position a working plane of rollers above the top edges of the frame members and, in the inverted position of the conveyor, a working plane of rollers below the top edges of the frame members, the frame members constituting guide rails in the latter position.

7. A conveyor comprising two elongate frame members, a rigid web mounted between and above the longitudinal center line of the frame members, said web rigidly uniting the frame members, the web being of grill-like construction, and a plurality of rows of independently rotatable rollers, each narrow widthwise of the conveyor, carried by said web, the rollers being of such diameter that their top peripheries are in a plane spaced above the adjacent longitudinal edges of said frame members and their opposite peripheries are in a plane spaced above the other longitudinal edges of said frame members, thereby to provide in one position a working plane of rollers above the top edges of the frame members and, in the inverted position of the conveyor, a working plane of rollers below the top edges of the frame members, the frame members constituting guide rolls in the latter position.

NATHANIEL WARSHAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 872,856 Spence Dec. 3, 1907 890,917 Mathews et al June 16, 1908 1,028,589 Moore June 4, 1912 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,279 Great Britain Jan. 16, 1912 372,448 Germany Mar. 27, 1923 

